Enhancement Troubleshooting: Lifting nails

You apply a beautiful let of nail enhancements and when your client comes back in 2 weeks you see lifting!  What went wrong?

from http://www.nailsmag.com

Assessing the Nail

First, lets assess the nail - where is the lifting occurring?  Is it at the cuticle?  Is it at the point where the tip meets the natural nail?  Is it along the sidewalls?  Is there a lot of lifting or just a little bit? Is it on all fingers or just one or two? 

By assessing the issues, we can narrow down the cause.  For instance, if the nail is lifting at the cuticle, the issue is not with the tip application.  If the lifting is at the sidewalls, but the cuticle is not lifted, I would take a look at my preparation of the sidewall area and confirm that my product is not flooding the area.  If every single nail is lifted half way from the cuticle up the nail plate, then I know it is a bigger issue than just accidentally bad prep on one nail. Its possible the extension is too long for the natural nail but it could be a systemic issue with the client or my mix ratio or a number of other things.  If only one client has issues and no one else does, then I know its something to do with her (body chemistry, picking, medications, allergy to the product) and most likely not my fault.

Causes



There are a number of reasons nails delaminate (the scientific for lifting), though there are just a few "main" causes.  The three factors that are the most likely cause of lifting are:

• Improper Prep
• Product touching skin
• Improper mix ratio (for acrylics) or improper curing (for gel nails)

Lets first take a look at these three possible causes:

Improper Prep

Prepping the natural nail is the first and arguably one of the most important steps in applying enhancements.  This is because it creates the foundation for what you do on top of it. Incompletely removing oils or non-living tissues on the entire nail plate will cause lifting. Etching the nail with a  coarse file can cause lifting by thinning out the nail and creating a weak base for the enhancement which then flexes away from the product with any pressure.

Product Touching Skin

If the product touches the skin at any time (even if you quickly wipe it away), it will wick the skin's oils and moisture into the product which can cause or exacerbate lifting.  I see many people on Instagram who tout themselves as educators who get product on the skin then use their brush to "clean up" around the nail.  Not only is this a major cause of lifting, but can cause dermatitis in the client!  It's better to get your application under control than to try and fix the mess afterwards.

Mix Ratio/Improper Curing

I have talked extensively about the reasons for proper mix ratio and the chemistry behind it in this post.  Basically, acrylic mix ratio is important for many reasons, one of which is that it can cause lifting if it is incorrect.  If the mix is too dry, it does not have time to adhere to the nail fully before hardening. When it is too wet, it can cause pocket lifting and is generally weaker than a properly made acrylic bead.  Not to mention, the chance of overexposure for the client!

With gel nails, you do not have to mix anything so mix ratio is not a factor.  however, it is extremely important that the correct UV/LED lamp with clean bulbs and appropriate cure time is being used  to cure the gel. gel feels hard within seconds but is NOT fully cured until the full cure time has been acheived.  Uncured gel can cause overexposure and dermatitis in clients and lead to a weak nail that does not fully adhere to the natural nail plate.

Other Causes

If you have lifting, checking the above three items should be first on your list.  If you find that they are not the issue, there is a wide variety of other factors that could cause or contribute to the problem, including:

• Clients who pick at their nails or are extremely hard on their nails
• Extension is too long for the client's natural nail and lifestyle
• Too much primer was used
• The product was applied too thick - thicker is not better and a thick enhancement can be too rigid while the natural nail will flex away from it with any kind of pressure.
• The tip doesn't fit the natural nail
• Tip adhesive breakdown
• Contaminated products
• Fresh monomer wasn't used with every client
• Mixing different manufacturers' products
• Smoking, eating, touching hair, etc. during application (playing with phones always leads to someone touching their nail!)
• Excessive filing of the enhancement - pressing too hard while filing can flex the softer natural nail away from the hard enhancement
• Mixing products between systems or brands 

Most of these are self explanatory, but lets talk about tips for a second.  Tips can loosen for several reasons, one reason is improper nail plate preparation prior to tip nail application. Another cause is improper fitting of the tip. Always measure the tip based on the width of the side walls, not the width of the natural free edge. The tip should not be able to be rocked side to side, the nail plate is the same width as the free edge, and the sides of the tip are coming out straight from the side groove.

A third (and most common) cause of tips loosening is the adhesive.  We have talked about adhesives in this blog before and the fact is that all nail adhesives are water soluble.  The thicker the adhesive, the slower they break down but they WILL break down eventually!  If you are lucky your client's nails grow fast and the tip will be gone (filed off during fills) before the issue shows itself.  If you arenot lucky you will start to see lifting at the point where the tip was adhered to the natural nail.

If you prefer to use tips over sculpting, make sure to pretailor the tip so that the minimal amount of adhesive is on the nail plate to create the strongest tip possible. Or you can use acrylic to apply tips for an even stronger nail.

Medications - Not a lifting Culprit!

Its been said for years that lifting might be casue by medicfatgions that the client is taking, however Doug Schoon has said that there is no evidence of this being true:  "This is not likely to be a problems and here’s why. Doctors often state that the health of the natural nail is often a window into the health of the individual. However, taking medication for a month or two isn’t going to affect adhesion of artificial nails or coatings to the nail plates. Same is true for birth control or other over-the-counter (OTC) medications. There are certain medications that when taken for long periods can affect the way the body functions and may affect nail growth. However, this is would be uncommon for medications in general. An example of medications that do affect nail plate growth are chemotherapy drugs. They can adversely affect the growth, but won’t change the way pre-existing natural nails adhere to the nail coating. In other words, they can’t affect the chemical structure of the nail plate once it has already grown from the nail matrix ... Also, if a person is taking a lot of medications and their nails are in poor condition, it is more likely that the condition of the nail plate is due to poor health of the body, and not the medications. For instance, those taking heart medication may also have blood pressure and circulation problems and these health issues are far more likely to adversely affect the condition of new nail growth, than would the medications themselves."

References/Resources

http://www.nailsmag.com/article/40178/how-to-prevent-lifting

http://www.nailpro.com/stay-put/

https://www.facebook.com/doug.schoon/posts/10207874050993488

http://www.nailsmag.com/article/81954/the-truth-about-hormones-and-nails

http://schoonscientific.com/downloads/Myths-from-FB_2013-03-14.pdf

http://www.nailsmag.com/article/108430/what-to-do-when-extensions-just-won-t-stay-put

http://www.nailsmag.com/article/40044/10-new-tech-troubles

http://www.nailsmag.com/article/107958/we-have-liftoff-troubleshooting-lifting-causes

http://www.nailsmag.com/article/108355/the-help-desk-has-answers-to-your-questions

Enhancement Troubleshooting: Free Edge Separation

One of the most common problems a nail tech sees during a fill service is separation of the natural nail from the enhancement at the nail tip.  It can be very frustrating to have zero lifting or issues anywhere else but the tip is peeling away!

Causes
There are a number of reasons for free edge separation:

• Nail tip adhesive break down
• Improper mix ratio in acrylic - especially too wet of a ratio which may not lift at the cuticle but often pulls away at the tip.
• Using old bulbs with gel
• Clients using their nails as tools
• Old product - this is less likely with today's advanced  products but there are some acrylic on the market that still use old technology. 
• The natural nail. 

Yes, the natural nail itself is often a cause of enhancement separation at the free edge.  If you take a good look at your natural nail you will notice that as it grows, it does not grow out perfectly straight, it naturally has a lower arch and C-curve and as the nail gets longer, these become more prominent. When this happens, the nail slowly begins to pull away from the enhancement -  usually at the free edge and especially at the corners of the free edge.

The second thing that happens with natural nails that can cause separation is that the nail becomes dry.  When the nail plate is on top of the nail bed it is getting moisture from the body through the bed.  However, once it leaves the bed and becomes free edge, it is susceptible to the elements and is no longer getting any moisture or natural protection. Much like conditioning your hair, you need to condition your nails EVEN when wearing enhancements!   If the natural nails are not conditioned with oil daily, they WILL dry up, and curl away from the enhancement.  The hardest part here is convincing clients that this is essential. 
Fixes
Gluing down the separation does not work and may trap contaminants.  Cutting off the natural nail is generally undesirable from the clients perspective and often causes further lifting.  There really is only one true fix for free edge separation - you need to remove the product  that is separated and replace with fresh product.  

Now, you don't need to soak off the entire nail but you do need to file off the whole separated area - similar to doing a backfill.  Then re-cleanse, prime and apply product per your manufacturer's instructions.  In some cases, you may have to use a form to re-extend the nail to match the other nails.

Prevention

• Use a thicker, gel-like nail adhesive which breaks down more slowly, or attach tips with acrylic or sculpt the nail.
• Make sure your mix ratio is correct for your product.
• Make sure you clean your UV./LED bulbs daily and change them regularly.
• Have the client use a good quality cuticle oil (not one that contains mineral oil or petroleum products) not just on their cuticle area but also under the free edge on the natural nail several times a day.
• Each time you file the length down on a set of nails where the natural nail is the same length as the enhancement, you will need to cap the edge with a small layer of acrylic or gel to seal around the client's nails and the enhancement.  

I hope this helps!

Resources
http://www.salongeek.com/threads/free-edge-is-separating-from-brisa-gel-nails.209580/
http://www.salongeek.com/threads/help-with-enhancements-free-edge-separation.10809/
https://www.cnd.com/pdf/Troubleshooting/Enc_Gel_TroubleShooting%20Tables.pdf
http://www.nailsmag.com/article/96845/10-common-causes-of-nail-service-breakdown
http://www.fingernailfixer.com/#!enhancements/cykr
https://books.google.com/books?id=7xuzFdrIFscC&pg=PA299&lpg=PA299&dq=nail+tip+separation+from+enhancements&source=bl&ots=yiVXFDYnu1&sig=2GsFACiTO4eu8Y7DzOH8gRZKMMc&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjv1uefm-PJAhWM5iYKHTkhArYQ6AEIUDAJ#v=onepage&q=nail%20tip%20separation%20from%20enhancements&f=false

Enhancement Troubleshooting: Fill Lines and Lifting

There are two types of "lines" that you can see after filling an anhancement. One is a line where there was lifted product that was not completely filed away and another is a red ring from overfiling (called "rings of fire" in the US).  This post will address the first type.

Preventing Lines
Karen from Key West once said on the Beautytech forum: "to get control of fill lines, you have to get control of your product and eliminate the lifting. Fill lines generally happen when there is a teeny bit of   product along the regrowth area that is lifted off the nailplate. If you can  get your product under strict control so it is sealed down all the way   around your cuticle and sidewalls, you'll see the problem will solve itself. "  And frankly, that is the absolute best piece of advice there is when dealing with fill lines.  No lifting = no lines.

To get control of your product we go back to prep, product application (not touching skin - ever) and, for acrylic, mix ratio and not mixing systems.  Any one - or all - of these things could be causing your lifting problems and you need to practice to get them under control. 

I must reiterate - if product touches the skin at any point in your application (even if you remove it right away), you will have lifting. Its a given.  (not to mention the possibility of client overexposure.  But I digress)

Make sure you've reviewed the instructions for your product line...and that you really are doing what they suggest. Another thing that Karen form Key West points out is that too much filing at the cuticle will cause lifting. "If you have  a lump or bump and press the file down on it to file it away, you will   actually force the nailplate down and away from the product, or cause a  lift, in other words. So again, it comes down to control and really   thinking about each bit of product as you work and make sure you have to do   as little filing near the cuticle as possible."


Getting Rid of Lines
OK, so you haven't mastered produt application yet, so how do you remove fill lines?

First, lets address what NOT to do:  DO NOT nip away lifted acrylic, use extra monomer or primer to "soften" or hide the lift, glue down the lift or ignore the lifted area.  These all will cause more problems in the long run, causing yellowing, overexposure, damaging natural nails, exacerbating lifting, etc, etc.

The only real way to deal with lifting, other than complete removal of the enhancement, is by filing

it away.

Karen from Key West has some more advice on how to deal with lifted areas: "One is to file a little bit "behind" the lifted area. Take your file and move it a bit beyond the end of  the lifted area, and file a groove....BE CAREFUL and do not file into the nail plate! But if you watch closely, you will be able to see the line where you are filing lighten, and at that point, take the corner of your nipper and flake away the lifted/filed away area. What you will have left is acrylic that is sealed down to the nail and should not show fill lines.

"Another technique is to  blend what you can, then use one of the adhesive promoter products available to reattach the lifted area. I personally don't use this technique, because I found I was relying on the product to do my blending for me...and I ended  up with nails that had lost their integrity after a couple of fills. But that's me. Another thing you can do is to blend the entire product area so  that it is very thin...and then work on just the lifted spots as above. "
 
Georgette (also from the Beautytech boards) offers this advice: "Fill ins do not start with the fill in. they start with the original product application. Filing flush at cuticle. take the tip of YOUR fingernail and see you feel anything by flicking your fingernail where the cuticle and product meet. If you can feel or hear anything keep filing till there is no dust but do not go onto the natural nail. Then when the nail grows out it will be  sealed and flush. Clients will not be hooking product into the hair etc. "


But I use Cover Powder, so who cares if there are lines?
I am a bit wary with how popular cover powders have become in the last few years.  Yes, its cool to have permenantly colored nails, but you cannot see what is going on under the enhancement.  Greenies?  No idea. Onycholysis? Can't tell.  Damage? *shrug*  I have seen nail techs on Instagram show their prepped nails and it is obvious there is still a small amount of lifting on the nail but becasue they are using cover powder they don't seem to care.

Remember, a fill line is a tiny lifted area and if you are covering it up without fixing it you are leaving an opening for bacteria and water to enter and are also leaving the strength and integrity of the nail compromised so that it is more likely to break or lift in the future.


I will leave you with a Tip of the Week Vicki wrote on this subject many years ago - but, as usual, her advice still stands today

TIP OF THE WEEK #26      FILL LINES by Vicki Peters

One of our biggest challenges is getting those fill lines out when doing pink and white nails. We file and file, get frustrated and finally end up quitting after we see we have filed right into the natural nail and make a big hot spot, making it worse. Can you relate? I can because I did it myself for years.

The only simple solution I have to offer here is if you're having trouble getting those lines out - plain and simple have not done enough filing. Now I am talking the average nail with the average amount of lifting. I am not talking about a set of nails that have yellowed, have major lifting or should have been filled three weeks ago. That is a new set in the making. I am talking about your average client with the average fill challenges.

I know I file better on one side of the nail than the other and you probably do too. So looking at the nail as you file it I can get the left side of the nail down flush and have to work harder on the right side. So what I do is instead of filing the fill in area at the cuticle to a point (Like a upside down V) I file across the nail at the cuticle area from side to side instead. I hold the nail sideways so I am viewing it from the "profile" and I can see that I am not digging into the natural nail and I file from left sidewall to right sidewall, taking all the product off at the cuticle area down about 1/3 of the nail. I can see that I am graduating the acrylic down to the natural nail for no lines.

This may seem silly that I am taking off more product than needed but it does two things here: 1. Get the lines out quickly and 2. Refreshes more of the product keeping the nail more stabilized in the long run. I find that I do less new sets because I kept the nails more refreshed in color and retention by doing more filing.

You also want to file the entire nail and take off 25% of the top surface. This also refreshes the nail and removes any discoloration. When I filled I usually pulled a bit of the pink at the cuticle area over the entire nail replacing that 25% with clean new pink acrylic, which also helps to keep the nails in a more stabilized shape. You can us clear for this as well not worring about pulling the pink over the white.

Now if one of the lines eludes you - you have a few options here:

1. Most cushioned files are too fat to see what you're doing, use a Flowery Silver Streak thin wood 180/180 board to get into tight spots. Or one similar. CND has some nice wood boards.
2. Use a file that does not bend as you file with it - you will have more control over what you're doing. EZ Flow has a great 150/150 cushioned that is sleek and can get into tight spots and will not bend. If you're bending your files maybe try a higher grit - you may be pressing too hard trying to do something your file cannot do - so go up one grit and maybe you won't have to press so hard.
3. Use your electric file instead of your file. Now many of you may be afraid of this and the key is to use a cone bit and keep the bit on the acrylic and off the natural nail. Use a cone that has a tapered rounded edge or the "V" bit from Kupa - yes it was named after me. It is a carbide cone with a flat cut off tip. Diamond cones are good too. I use the "V" bit on my cuticle areas after I have done my shaping. Aseptico and Medicool have some beautiful soft tipped cone bits you may want to try as well.
4. Use your dehydrator - like CND Nail Fresh, OPI's Bond Aid or a comparable product. If you think you have not filed enough, a way to check is to dust the nail, apply the dehydrator to the nail, quickly, as it is still wet it will give you a window to what the nail will look like when the acrylic is applied. You may have filed enough and don't know it and this is a sneak peek into the future to see if you got the line out or not. Don't be afraid to do this two or three times, just to make sure.
5. Don't let the dust fake you out. Sometimes we are trying to file the dust  thinking it is a line - so clean it out with your dehydrator and see if it  was only the dust.
6. Use NSI's Line Out. This is an incredible product and one of a kind.  Follow the manufacturer's instructions and after cleansing the nails apply  Line Out to the fill line. Now I can't express this loudly enough, this is  not the answer to your lifting problems and it should not be used as a  crutch. If you have lifting problems then you need to address your  application procedures. NSI's Line out is for those hard to get places and  should be used wisely. I have used it over a bad-lifting area and later down the line that same lifted area lifted again but now I had encased it  with two fills and had to replace the whole nail eventually. I have used it  when I had a difficult line to get out and it worked perfectly. So be wise when using this wonderful product.

So the bottom line is file more, use your files and bits properly and go the  extra mile and you will be pleased with your results. If you want the  numbers to any of the manufacturers mentioned in the tip of the week - you  can look them up in your Nailpro Gold Book. And when you look them up - go  through the Gold Book again and see what a wonderful source guide it really is. Lots of hard work goes in there and I reference it at least once a day.

DISCLAIMER

Any products mentioned in the "Tip Of The Week by Vicki Peters" is not an endorsement of any kind.

Vicki

The Peters Perspective

"When you stop learning your career ends and your job begins"

 

References/Resoucres:
http://www.nailsmag.com/qa/70064/how-can-i-avoid-fill-lines-without-filing-too-much-on-the-natural-nail
http://www.nailsmag.com/blogpost/103231/chasing-the-fill-line
http://www.nailpro.com/eliminate-lines
 

Enhancement Troubleshooting: Yellowing in Enhancements

Yellowing is the discoloration and breakdown of artificial nail coatings by ultraviolet light, excessive heat, or chemical contaminants.  Yellow enhancements is a relatively common problem in the nail world but luckily its something that is easy to fix. The majority of yellowing occurs in acrylic nails and wraps, though it could happen in gel nails as well.  Lets take a look at the reasons.

Acrylic (Liquid & Powder) Nails

Since acrylic nails are porous, yellowing can be caused by a number of things.  The fact that all modern acrylics are cross linked means they are not as likely to yellow as a resin based product which is not cross linked but still more likely to yellow than a gel nail which is non-porous.

These are the most common reasons for yellow acrylics:

• Staining from nail polish
• Contaminated or old liquid - Make sure you store monomer in a dark, cool place, always use a proper dispenser made for that product, and never mix old and new monomer together and always use fresh monomer for each client
• Using monomer that doesn't have a UV protestant 
• Using a contaminated brush or brush cleaner - Also, never apply any oil or conditioner to the bristles. Nothing but monomer and polymer should ever come in contact with your brush
• Not thoroughly seasoning a new acrylic brush - Each time you buy a new acrylic brush, gently run a new wood stick through the bristles until the manufacturer’s powdery gum is completely removed. This may take 15 minutes or longer, but if you fail to do it, the gum could cause your acrylics to turn yellow.
• Odorless acrylic is more likely to yellow
• Acid primer touching existing acrylic during a fill can cause that part to yellow.
• Not allowing an acid primer to dry before applying nail enhancements.
• MMA (methyl methacrylate, which we will discuss soon ) is notorious for yellowing
• Excessive tanning or smoking, on the client’s end. Sunless tanning lotions can stain the nails as well.
• Household chemicals can also cause yellowing (clients need to wear gloves!)
• Certain top coats that are used over pink and whites tend to stain and yellow.

Gel Nails

Gel nails (hard gel) are non-porous and generally not susceptible to yellowing, however occasionally it is seen. Products designed for UV tanning sometimes yellow the top surface of traditional gels and can be easily buffed away at the next appointment.  With certain brands, if you do not apply the finish gel to seal nails, nail polish and smoking can sometimes cause the gel to discolor. Lastly, some gels actually absorb UV rays from the sun, technically "over-curing" the gel and causing yellowing.

Wraps and other Resin-based Products (i.e. "Tip and Dip" systems)
The most common cause of yellowing in resin-based systems like wraps and dip systems is staining from polish, nicotine, tanning lotions, etc or age.  Because resin based systems are not cross-linked, they are more susceptible to things like UV rays, nail polish pigments and general wear and tear. Resin-based systems are the one type of system that has to be removed and replaced periodically since there is no way to avoid the aging.



References:
http://www.nailsmag.com/qa/70113/why-does-gel-turn-yellow-on-some-people-and-not-on-others-in-the-summer
http://www.nailsmag.com/article/112640/the-help-desk-answers-your-technical-and-health-questions
http://www.nailsmag.com/qa/81788/why-do-my-clients-acrylic-nails-look-discolored

Enhancement Troubleshooting: Pocket Lifting

Pocket lifting is a term used to describe when an enhancement gets a "bubble" in the middle of the nail plate but the area around it is still sealed down.

To understand center pocket lifting, you have to understand the concept of shrinkage in enhancement technology.  The wetter something is, the more likely it will be to shrink as it dries - shrinkage can be excessive and have negative results when there is too much monomer in your brush. 

With Gels, excess shrinkage can occur when there is too thick of a layer of gel applied (or if the bulbs are dirty or old)  so that the UV rays do not penetrate to the bottom of the gel layer, which makes it not fully adhere to the nail plate.

Why can’t I see it when I am filing, buffing and finishing the client’s nails?  
All products will shrink during polymerization. It takes a liquid & powder system 24 - 48 hours to completely cure.  The product cures to about 60% in the first hour, which leaves 40% to occur over the next few days.  The wetter the mix, the longer it takes to fully cure.  The simple reason why we cannot see the pocket lift during the filing process is because the full cure of the enhancement has not taken place.  If pocket lifting occurs; it will be evident when the client returns for a rebalance.

Why does it only happen with certain clients and not all 10 nails?
A larger or more curved nail plate can exacerbate shrinkage.  The apex is the highest part of the nail enhancement, hence the area with the most product.  Shrinkage will place force on the apex and on the center of the plate.  If this force becomes excessive, the product can pop free at the apex (or center of the nail plate).  We usually see it on the thumbs and/or middle fingers (the larger fingers) of the client.

How do I prevent pocket lifting?
The solution to this problem is simple.  Be sure to use the recommended mix ratio for optimum results.  If you have center pocket lifting, use a slightly drier mix ratio.  This should eliminate the center pocket lift. However,  be aware that too dry of a mix ratio could also cause lifting problems if the bead is so dry that it hardens before it fully adheres to the natural nail.  Proper mix ratio is key! You should always use the mix ratio recommended by the manufacturer.

With gel nails, make sure your bulbs are clean and within their optimal use strength (if you cant remember how long its been since you changed the bulbs, its time to change them!  Basically, that's every 3-4 months if you mainly do gel nails, 6 months or so otherwise. Some lamps have bulb life timers on them.)



-----------------------------------
Much of this article comes from: http://nsinails.com/nail-lab/science-of-beauty/center-pocket-lifting-faq.html#.VgwUf3LltaQ

Liquid & Powder Acrylic-Mix Ratio

Proper mix ratio is essential to creating a beautiful and durable acrylic enhancement. Different enhancement systems require different mix ratios. It is not possible to create a monomer liquid that can be used with any mix ratio so pay close attention to the manufacturer's recommendations in regards to mix ratio. Each product line mixes a little differently, and it takes some time to master the proper mix ratio. Weather and seasons can also throw your mix ratios out of whack. An easy way to spot an improper mix ratio is to look at how the bead appears on the brush (see the attached picture).

It is also highly recommended that you use the brush that your manufacturer makes for your acrylic system because this brush has been formulated to pick up the correct mix ratio for the system. Too big of brushes pick up too much liquid and throw off the mix ratio and are more likely to cause overexposure than the correctly-sized brush.

Lastly, you should never wet your brush with monomer to smooth down your bead on the nail - doing that throws off the mix ratio and also exposed your client to uncured monomer and puts them at risk for overexposure.

When the mix ratio is right, you will get:
• Excellent retention
• Strength and toughness
• Clarity
• Prevention of overexposure
• Proper set and cure times

When the bead is too wet, the monomers link to each other during the chain reaction, they hug each other tightly, causing the nail enhancement to shrink. When you work with too much monomer, all of that extra monomer links together and you have excessive shrinkage of the enhancement. The following can be the result:
• Potential lifting (especially pocket lifting) and weakness
• Bubbles
• Excessive shrinkage
• Overexposure
• Lengthened set and cure time

When the bead is too dry - the monomer holds everything together when it polymerizes. When you don’t have enough, it’s like trying to make a cake with too little milk.
• Lifting
• Weakness (lack of cohesion)
• Bubbles

When you mix and match liquids and powders from different manufacturers or product lines, it’s like using the wrong mix ratio. The reasons:
- Different powders have different chemical compositions, including different levels of initiator and catalyst.
- Too little initiator may weaken the enhancement or cause an allergic reaction.
- Too much initiator increases the risk of brittleness and discoloration.
- Mismatched liquid and powder can result in unreacted monomer. This monomer can soak through the nail bed to cause an allergic reaction.

Some advice on the perfect mix ratio from Nikki Birch, CND Education Ambassador: “When trying to achieve a perfect mix ratio, the first thing to remember is that you want a minimal amount of the bead attached to the brush hairs. This will allow for a quick, easy release onto the nail. If your bead is too wet, depending on the angle of the brush, the bead will flatten out on the brush hairs and drip off. And if your bead is too dry, the bead will likely have a dry powder coating and will not have a smooth surface. The ideal bead should be smooth, round, and plump, and suspended lightly on the brush hairs. Achieving a proper mix ratio takes practice and repetition, but it is an essential skill to master. Improper mix ratios can have serious effects on enhancements, leading to signs of service breakdown within 24 hours of application.”

See this article for some great chemistry regarding mix ratio from Doug Schoon.

Join the conversation: Mastering the mix ratio is hard! How do you know when your ratio is "off"? What do you do to correct it?